AOI (handcrafted Matcha Bowl)

diameter: 4.33inch (11cm) height: 3.15inch (8.0cm), standard matcha bowl size
Sophisticated Kyo Yaki (Kyoto Style)
Made by Zenshoh Yamaoka at Zenshoh Kiln

(Please note: Because this item is made-to-order, it takes approximately 3 weeks from the time you order this item until the date it is shipped from Kyoto, Japan. Once ordered, any order change or cancel can NOT be accepted. If you order this item with other items, they will be shipped together.)

The Tale of Genji is one of the oldest novels in the world. Written by noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu of the Japanese Imperial Court, this novel is composed of 54 stories and more than 800 WAKA Japanese poems.
The work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, from his birth to death, and afterward. Through the book, Murasaki describes the life of aristocracy, romance in the Imperial Court, and political disputes. She expertly portrays the internal emotion and expression of each character of her novel.
We, Hibiki-an have collaborated with Zenshoh Yamaoka, who is the leading expert of paintings derived from masterpieces in the middle ages and acclaimed Kyo Yaki artisan, to release a series of Matcha bowls featuring the Tale of Genji. Zenshoh Yamaoka selected 12 stories out of 54, one suitable for each month of the year, arranged by season. (Tale of Genji - Matcha Bowl page)

Zenshoh Yamaoka expresses luxury and elegance in the palace, the secrets of human nature in each scene, and WABI-SABI aesthetic during this time, by making full use of various techniques. For example, in order to portray the gorgeous scenes of the Imperial Court, he uses luxurious gold to paint clouds, Japanese traditional cloth KIMONO, auspicious ornaments and so forth. This effect characterizes the affluent lifestyle of the Japanese Imperial Court during this period and makes the Matcha bowl brilliant. Clouds are one of the key features of the bowl. Clouds are frequently used in Japanese traditional painting to separate and define space and time. The use of golden clouds makes this Matcha bowl bright and luxurious.

The story of AOI tells the tale of a quarrel between Aoi and Rokujo no Miyasudokoro at a festival in which Hikaru Genji took part. The festival was open to the public, and Rokujo no Miyasudokoro, who was a princess in the Imperial court, and had a relationship with Hikaru Genji went there. She had to move to another place with her husband, and wanted to see Genji before moving. Aoi, who was the first wife of Hikaru Genji was pregnant and did not feel well, but she was urged to see the festival to relax and feel refreshed. The road was so crowded by people and other carriages that Aoi could not pass through, but when they noticed Aoi's carriage, they cleared a path for her along the road. However, one carriage did not move out of the way, and that carriage was Rokujo no Miyasudokoro's. Aoi's followers pushed Rokujo's carriage away and destroyed it. Even though Rokujo secretly came to the festival to see Genji, it turned out that she displayed shameful behavior in public.

AOI is the name of the first wife of Hikaru Genji. This story is one of the famous quires in the Tale of Genji. Most of them are written statically, but Murasaki Shikibu, who is the author of Tale of Genji describes this scene dynamically. Such an active scenery is skillfully drawn on this bowl. In order to express its dynamic scene, golden clouds play an important role. Different from dense and soft clouds, bundles of narrow clouds are drawn fiercely but delicately by the use of a brush. This effect associates as if the ox-drawn carriage is in a rush, fiercely passing obstacles on the road.

Even though this story focuses on the conflict, some techniques make this bowl soft and calm. Orange flecks are from a traditional technique known as GOHONDE, and its color blends into earthenware texture, which is called KENZAN earthenware. This technique and characteristic give the bowl a warm atmosphere. Traditional buildings inside the bowl retain the balance between static and dynamic objects, and gives depth perception to the Matcha bowl. Golden clouds hide carriages and buildings, and this effect stimulates our image of the scene. Your imagination completes the work which is not drawn on the bowl. The artist's soft touch and use of color on this bowl will enrich the taste of Matcha.